Mythology

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Hindu mythology is rich in color and drama. It is described as smriti in contrast with sacred texts that are considered shruti.  While the Vedas and the Gita are shruti or words heard from God, myths and legends are smriti or recollections. Smriti consists of stories about gods, demons, strange creatures, and about great heroes who combat evildoers.

The grand epics, The Mahabharata authored by Vyasa and The Ramayana authored by Valmiki are the crown jewels of Hindu tales. These stories have galvanized audiences over centuries. The tales were told by traveling storytellers, repeated from generation to generation, and were made into television series that were watched throughout India on Sunday mornings for years. The Gita is inserted into the Mahabharata at the onset of the Great Mahabharata War. It is preached by Lord Krishna to Arjun who feels despondent because he believes that killing is a sin. Krishna explains to Arjun that he must fulfill his destiny by carrying out actions that were set into motion by events beyond his control and convinces him that it is his duty to fight for his honor.

Stories relating to the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver, are among the most intriguing of Hindu myths. The order of Lord Vishnu’s incarnations parallels the sequence of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Vishnu first appears a as fish, then as a tortoise or reptile, then as a boar, and then as a man-lion symbolizing the emergency of humans from the animal kingdom. His further appearances occur in the stone age, the iron age, and then in a society ruled by kings. His last two appearances are as Lord Krishna and as Lord Buddha. However, Krishna is predicted to descend to earth again in his tenth and final incarnation as Kalki, the phenomenal savior who will amaze the world and deliver it from evil and darkness.

Curious events occurred in India that bring her legends to modern day life. Perhaps the most striking happened when throughout the world statues of Ganpati, the beloved god with the elephant head, began drinking offerings of milk. Early on September 21, 1995, a teaspoon of milk symbolically placed at Ganpati’s trunk disappeared. The news spread and by mid morning reports of milk drinking statues abounded. The World Hindu Council declared this happening to be a miracle. It lasted for several days and then it stopped as abruptly as it had started.

Then on January 26, 2001, an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter shook Gujarat and surrounding regions in India. The quake brought about the surfacing of the Saraswati River in the dry desert known as Raan of Kutch. This river is honored in Hindu scripture as the mother and the goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts.

So, we have seen the past coming to life and bringing both questions and answers into the panorama of Hindu philosophy and belief.

See Chapter 5, Myths and Legends in On Hinduism by Irina Gajjar

Yoga: Paths to God

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The word Yoga embraces a big idea. In Sanskrit, it means union and its import is broad. In English translation, Yoga is generally defined as a spiritual or ascetic discipline that uses techniques of body and breath control. The purpose of Yoga is liberation and the joining of the spirit to God. God is described by Merriam Webster as “the supreme spirit” or “the universal soul.”  In my book On Hinduism, I defined yoga as “A term that means a discipline used to refer to specific paths leading to enlightenment; also, one of the six Darshanas, or schools of philosophy.”

A Yogi is a person who practices Yoga. The Gita praises Yogis as follows:

The Yogi whose mind is concentrating on

God

does not shake.

He is steady

like a candle in a room where there is no wind.

The Yogi’s mind does not move away from

truth.

To become a Yogi

you have to practice being calm.

You have to practice not fidgeting

and concentrating on God.

And the Yogi who is perfectly calm

is pure and free of sin.

He is one with God

and perfectly happy.

(Gita 6:21,22,23,24,25,26,27)

 

Yoga is divided into various types. The Yogi described above is engaged in Raja Yoga, or Yoga of the mind. Other forms of Yoga which also promote balance that leads to enhanced consciousness include Hatha Yoga or Yoga of the body, Mantra Yoga or Yoga of chanting, and Vinyasa Yoga which coordinates breathing with movement.

Additionally, Yoga is the name of one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu Philosophy known as Darshanas (world views). These schools -Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimasa, and Uttar Mimasa now known as Vedanta- are the foundation of Hindu thought. They all engage in analysis and interpretation of the Vedas, sacred Hindu texts. These schools consider the existence and nature of God or the Universal Soul and grapple with the issue of whether the Universal Soul is distinguishable from the human soul.

The Yoga Darshana was founded by the famous grammarian Patanjali. It is associated with meditation and it considers life’s goal to be liberation. Liberation consists of freedom from life’s cycle of birth and death through unification with God, the ultimate reality.

Swami Vivekananda, the founder of the Vedanta Society, introduced Hindu philosophy to the United States in 1893 when he presented his lecture “Sisters and Brothers of America” to the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago. Since then, Yoga and other Hindu beliefs and practices have become increasingly understood and incorporated into American and Western life.

See On Hinduism and The Gita, A New Translation of Hindu Sacred Scripture, by Irene N. Gajjar.

 

 

Perspectives of Believers and Atheists

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Thoughtful believers and atheists have more in common than meets the eye. While their views are opposite, they ponder the same mysteries and after evaluating the limited information at humanity’s disposal, they come to different conclusions. Since they cannot prove or disprove their assumptions, both believers and disbelievers live their lives according to different hypotheses. However, the process of considering questions like their origins and matters like creation, virtue, happiness, unhappiness, and destiny is generally an elevating one. Thus, these two groups of people think similar thoughts.

While believers have faith in God, they do not necessarily agree upon the details that describe God and the soul. On the other hand, while atheists purportedly do not believe in God, they often are able to describe the God whose existence they deny. Their non-God is the source of strife among peoples and of hypocrisy among worshippers. Atheists do not fear burning in hell, but they care as much as believers about doing good and being good.

In an introduction to my book, On Hinduism, Ravi Heugle writes a commentary entitled A Skeptic’s Perspective. Along with many scientists, Ravi questions the existence of God who is not only everything but is beyond everything and hence belongs to the supernatural world. Instead, Ravi believes in the reality of perception and experience that is measurable in the physical world. He acknowledges that the supernatural cannot be denied, but considers the soul, another matter entirely. He writes:

 

The soul will render itself superfluous to any consistent

description of a life form. In describing a watch, if we

understand all the mechanisms and principles of operation,

no additional concept or idea is necessary to explain its

purpose, function, or state.

I find it strange that those who take the reality of the mind as a given do not accept the reality of the soul. I see these two parts of us as linked aspects of our being. Our mind processes thoughts whereas our soul processes consciousness. Most believers think that the soul is a spark of God. Skeptics and atheists dispute this view. Yet no one can explain the nature of divinity. Some claim to know the essence of God whereas others doubt the truth of this knowledge.

Regardless, we pursue our own paths. If believers and atheists respect one another and view one another with kindness, we will be equally uplifted.

See A Skeptic’s Perspective in On Hinduism, by Irina Gajjar

 

 

 

Handshakes, Namaste or Elbow Bumps

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Handshakes and the gesture accompanying the greeting Namaste have been around for centuries. The earliest discovered depiction of shaking hands is probably an Assyrian relief of King Shalmaneser from the ninth century B.C.E. It is said that the custom of shaking hands began as a way of confirming the absence of weapons and it is perhaps the most used formal way that people recognize one another. Besides handshaking, people in different societies bow, nod, pat one another on the back, and kiss cheeks.

In Indian and associated cultures, the prevailing greeting is the joining of palms next to the heart accompanied by the Sanskrit word Namaste which translates as “I bow to you.” However, the meaning of Namaste is deeper. It recognizes a divinity in the person to whom the greeting is extended. The Sanskrit language is at least 5000 years old so this greeting has existed for ages.

The gesture used with Namaste is similar to the gesture used in prayer. It has been adopted by performers in greeting and thanking their audiences. It is a natural showing of reverence and warmth to persons we are acknowledging.

On the other hand, elbow bumps devised as a sanitary covid-proof greeting are strange. They will not survive. I personally have resisted shaking hands, struggling not to offend those who extend their palms. Like the TV personality Mr. Monk, I have used wipes after people shook my hand.

Notwithstanding my reluctance to shake hands, I find performing contorted and absurd elbow bumps awkward and not to my liking. Isn’t joining palms in the spirit of Namaste much better? It is uplifting and moving. Perhaps it will supersede a gesture originally intended to prove we will not attack those to whom we are saying hello or goodbye.

Happy New Year 2022

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As the world bids farewell to what most of us agree was a difficult year, many of us are struggling to become or remain optimistic about ourselves, our loved ones, our nations, and our species.

Perhaps the most disheartening commentary I have heard is that humankind is inferior to other species, in particular those that live in our oceans. These creatures communicate, care for their own with an understanding of medicines, treat one another with compassion, and do not damage their environment.

Hopefully, human behavior will not bode badly for our existence. In the larger scheme of things, we can have hope for our future and the future of our planet. After all, the earth is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old and humans have been around for about three hundred thousand years.

Perhaps the James Webb telescope launched on December 24th is the brightest event of 2021. It is expected to answer momentous questions about the universe or multiverses and may even guide us into finding habitats away from mother earth. The knowledge it gives may make us kinder if we come to believe that kindness will enhance our chances of surviving and thriving.

A Moral War

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Violence and destruction is not always harmful. Burning fields to improve their fertility is a good thing. It is different from starting a wildfire that will burn and destroy forests. The Gita speaks of a moral war, explaining that the soul cannot be killed and that the body does not matter at all. The Mahabharata and the Gita illustrate rather than explain what constitutes a moral war. Lord Krishna speaks on the “Battlefield of Sharma.”

The noble hero, Arjun, does not want to slay his enemy. He does not want a kingdom, or victory, or pleasures. He would rather his enemy kill him than kill them. Lord Krishna convinces Arjun to fight, leaving the outcome of the war in God’s hands:

Do not care if your fighting brings pleasure or pain,

Victory or defeat.

Just do your duty.

In this way you will be free.

(Gita 2:38)

These lines make it clear that Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is not strictly a pacificist doctrine. It may not even be a doctrine as much as awareness, a consciousness of what human beings need to do to maintain universal harmony and balance.

Read more from On Hinduism at www.irinagajjar.com. You can purchase the book at Amazon.com.

An Idea of God

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Hindu philosophy is premised on the idea of God, not on a belief in God. Thus, the divine force, howsoever it may be perceived, or even if it is disregarded, is ever-present. Hinduism does not demand faith in God. Rather it provides links to the idea of God. Those interested can click on a link at any time.

What then describes Hindus if not faith in God, or acceptance of the tenets of Hinduism, or following the dictates of Hindu scriptures, or performing specific rituals? Responses often given to the question “Who is a Hindu?” include: followers of Hindu traditions, believers in Vedic philosophy, persons who follow dharma (a complex inclusive terms representing maintaining balance, staying on the path of truth, and fulfillment of duty), persons of righteousness, persons who will perform Hindu sacraments, persons who live a Hindu lifestyle, persons who uphold Hindu values, seekers of God, and persons who profess themselves to be Hindu.

The above replies are all correct, but none is definitive, given the wide diversity in individual beliefs. The last statement is probably the closest to the best answer. Nobody can judge the belief of a particular Hindu, but persons who believe themselves to be a Hindu know what they believe. Thus, a Hindu may be best described as someone who calls himself Hindu and who does not adhere to any other religion.

This excerpt is from On Hinduism, by Irina Gajjar. To learn more about the book, visit the website at www.irinaspage.com. You can purchase the book directly from Amazon by clicking this link.

The Divine Force

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Hindu philosophy is premised on the idea of God, not on a belief in God. Thus, the divine force, howsoever it may be perceived, or even if it is disregarded, is ever-present. Hinduism does not demand faith in God. Rather it provides links to the idea of God. Those interested can click on a link at any time.

What then describes Hindus if not faith in God, or acceptance of the tenets of Hinduism, or following the dictates of Hindu scriptures, or performing specific rituals? Responses often given to the question “Who is a Hindu?” include: followers of Hindu traditions, believers in Vedic philosophy, persons who follow dharma (a complex inclusive terms representing maintaining balance, staying on the path of truth, and fulfillment of duty), persons of righteousness, persons who will perform Hindu sacraments, persons who live a Hindu lifestyle, persons who uphold Hindu values, seekers of God, and persons who profess themselves to be Hindu.

The above replies are all correct, but none is definitive, given the wide diversity in individual beliefs. The last statement is probably the closest to the best answer. Nobody can judge the belief of a particular Hindu, but persons who believe themselves to be a Hindu know what they believe. Thus, a Hindu may be best described as someone who calls himself Hindu and who does not adhere to any other religion.

This excerpt is from On Hinduism, by Irina Gajjar. To learn more about the book, visit the website at www.irinaspage.com. You can purchase the book directly from Amazon by clicking this link.

The Reality of Greatness and Nothingness

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Belief in the world’s illusory nature gives rise to belief in the reality and greatness of nothingness. AN understanding of nothingness relates to the understanding of mathematics which embodies the concept of zero. At the same time, belief in nothingness is a significant aspect of Hindu belief in God. Nothingness is greater than creation which comes and goes as worlds appear and disappear in cycles. Nothingness existed before God undertook creation and God alone transcends nothingness. Devout Hindus seek to attain enlightenment which is akin to becoming lost in the supreme blissfulness of God who is as much nothing as He is everything.

Some people revere God as an infinite force requiring no further definition. But others find it difficult to work the idea of an intangible, unfathomable, all powerful God into worship or life. Thus, Hinduism facilitates faith by giving God a multitude of physical forms that represent his multiple attributes. It is next to impossible to know these countless forms and names. In ritual ceremonies, priests recite as many names as the worshipers have the patience to repeat or hear while they toss a leaf or a petal for each name into a vessel as a symbol of their acknowledgment.

This excerpt is from On Hinduism by Irina Gajjar. Read more from Irina or learn where to buy the book at www.irinaspage.com.

Hindu Mythology

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The crown jewels of Hindu mythology are its two grand epics, Ramayana and the Mahabharata. These reflect Vishnu’s incarnations as Rama and Krishna. Both epics are literary masterpieces containing a wealth of history, legend, philosophy, and ideology. They are post Vedic works considered smiriti or recollection rather than sruti or revelation.

The Ramayana was composed by Valmiki, a bandit turned saint and poet. Lord Brahma inspired him to write the Ramayana, a dramatic poem consisting of seven books divided into five hundred stanzas and 24,000 verses. It is believed to have been recorded about 500 BCE or earlier. The story is an intricate one with a large cast of characters including gods, demons, humans, super humans, animals, and birds who personify good, evil, or both. The well-developed characters act out their karma with elegance and might. The master plot containing intricate subplots takes many twists and turns and contains many diversions designed to keep its listeners riveted to every adventure and full anticipation up to the very end.

—This excerpt is from On Hinduism, by Irina Gajjar

Read more from Irina at www.irinaspage.com.